1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to the field of packaging and more specifically to a tamper evident container closure for packaging products such as beverages.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Plastic closures for containers such as beverage bottles are in widespread use throughout the world. In recent years, circumstances in many countries has resulted in an increase in demand for tamper evident features on such closures.
As is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,938, the use of tamper evident security bands in plastic screw closures for bottles having a screw cap has been common for some time, but the use of such security bands on snap hinge closures has been much less common. In all of the snap hinge closures of which the inventors are aware, the body, the lid and the hinge of the closure is molded together in one piece and mechanical interlocking structure is formed in the body and/or the lid for causing the lid to become mechanically affixed to the body when the lid is pressed onto the body after manufacturing. This mechanical connection is designed to be defeated in a tamper evident manner, such as by rupturing of frangible bars or webs within the connection when the closure is first opened by a consumer.
Unfortunately, in too many circumstances the mechanical connections described above are able to be defeated without rupturing the tamper evident bars or webs by a person who is determined to do so. This, of course, is unacceptable for many different reasons. A need exists for an improved snap hinge tamper evident closure and a method for making such a closure that is impossible to open without defeating the tamper evident structure of the closure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved snap hinge tamper evident closure and a method for making such a closure that is impossible to open without defeating the tamper evident structure of the closure.
In order to attain the above and other objects of the invention, a snap hinge tamper evident closure that is constructed according to a first aspect of the invention includes a body portion that is constructed and arranged to be secured to a container; a lid portion; a hinge portion that is attached to the body portion and the lid portion so as to permit the lid portion to be opened from and closed onto the body portion after the closure is first opened; and at least one tamper evident band mechanically securing the lid portion to the body portion at a position that is distal from the hinge portion, the tamper evident band being integral at a first location with the body portion and further being integral at a second location with the lid portion, whereby the closure may not be opened without defeating the tamper evident band.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of making a tamper evident closure includes steps of (a) forming a closure blank that includes a body portion, a hinge portion and a lid portion; and (b) securing the body portion to the lid portion at a location that is distal from the hinge portion with at least one frangible tamper evident connection that is integral with both the body portion and the lid portion, whereby a tamper evident closure is formed that may not be opened without defeating the frangible tamper evident connection.
These and various other advantages and features of novelty that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.